The Essence of Kaiseki

Reveal the essence of kaiseki – the muse of Japanese cuisine.

How did the Japanese create a kaiseki that CNN honored as “the best meal in the world”? Let’s dive into the origin and essence of kaiseki.

The Origin of Kaiseki

Kaiseki is a style of Japanese cuisine that draws from various traditions. In form, it combines elements of a ceremonial banquet (honzen ryori) and a tea party (cha-kaiseki). In content, kaiseki embraces the essence of Heian court cuisine, traditional cuisine, and the vegetarian cuisine of Japanese temples.

Imagine you’re invited to a honzen ryori, a lavish banquet during the 14th-century shogunate. Only shoguns, nobles, lords, and samurai received such invitations. In front of you are three elaborate black lacquer trays, each with an array of small plates and bowls filled with food. Don’t be confused. Just start calmly with the middle tray, then move to the right, and finally to the left.

This isn’t a random order but a carefully calculated one. Each tray plays a distinct role. The middle tray is the focal point of the meal, the right tray delivers the peak of flavor, and the left tray provides a harmonious ending. Eating this way allows diners to fully savor the flavors and textures of each dish. Kaiseki has beautifully inherited this delicate principle of honzen ryori.

In the 16th century, Zen master Rikyu (1521-1591) developed the tea ceremony. The tea was brewed quite strong, so guests couldn’t drink it on an empty stomach. Master Rikyu then introduced a light meal consisting of tofu seaweed soup, pickled vegetables, fish, and rice. The meal was just enough to fill the stomach, ensuring the tea’s enjoyment wasn’t compromised. It was called cha-kaiseki, named after the hot stone (kaiseki) Zen masters placed on their stomachs to forget their hunger while meditating.

Cha-kaiseki gained popularity among samurai, nobles, and the wealthy. Honzen ryori was combined with cha-kaiseki to form kaiseki ryori. The dishes in kaiseki ryori are rich, delicious, and beautiful like those in honzen ryori, while also being light, refined, and modest in the spirit of cha-kaiseki. Unlike cha-kaiseki, kaiseki ryori allows sake to be enjoyed during the meal, with green tea served at the end.

In the late 16th century, Regent Hideyoshi invaded the Korean peninsula to attack China but failed. However, he brought back many Korean potters to Japan, which introduced significant changes in materials, techniques, and decoration to Japanese pottery. 

Nobles and the wealthy immediately favored these new ceramics and porcelains alongside traditional lacquered wooden bowls and dishes. From rustic, handmade ceramics to refined porcelain, these pieces became more common at kaiseki gatherings, highlighting the owner’s refined taste and affluence. By the early 17th century, kaiseki had entered luxury restaurants and gained popularity.

The Essence of Kaiseki

To start, kaiseki can be seen as an art form that blends visual presentation and taste to narrate a vivid story of seasonal and local ingredients through food.

Each ingredient is meticulously chosen for its peak freshness, flavor, and seasonal relevance, then cooked to perfection. The dishes are artfully presented, reflecting the harmony of the season and their local origin.

For instance, an autumn dish in Osaka presents a symphony of yellow chrysanthemums and five-flavored tuna sashimi, each flavor harmonizing three distinct autumn ingredients. Five delicate pieces of sashimi on a yellow-leaf plate, accompanied by a floating flower petal on the water, craft a vivid autumn tableau in the coastal city of Osaka.

Kaiseki is also inspired by the Japanese aesthetic of wabi-sabi. Wabi celebrates simple beauty, while sabi cherishes the grace of natural aging. Rather than using rare ingredients or complex techniques, kaiseki emphasizes the inherent beauty of food.

Autumn in Kyoto is captured by freshly grilled bamboo shoots, still warm from the fire, their shimmering brown-gold hue resting on fresh green bamboo leaves beside simple bamboo chopsticks. A plain ceramic plate, adorned with blue-black lines resembling bamboo stalks wrapping leaves and shoots. It’s minimalist yet profound—a culinary masterpiece reflecting the ancient capital of Kyoto, nestled among its hills and forests.

Another inspiration for kaiseki is the concept of ichigo ichie (one encounter, one chance). This reflects the Japanese way of living joyfully, fully embracing the present moment with oneself, family, and friends, while immersing in the sights, sounds, touches, tastes, smells, and emotions of everything around.

The fish is wrapped in paper, which burns slowly, with each season offering a different type of fish. Thin, wavy smoke rises uniquely from the paper each time it burns. Falling yellow petals and scattered red maple leaves rest differently each time. Diners must relax, observe closely, inhale deeply, taste attentively, and savor the subtle changes in the grilled fish, embracing each moment fully.

Each kaiseki meal is a masterpiece, crafted with meticulous attention to detail. The host’s mission is to provide an unforgettable experience. Guests are encouraged to leave their worries at the door and fully immerse themselves in the kaiseki journey. In the next episode, we’ll dive into the kaiseki menu and the essential etiquette for a truly enchanting kaiseki experience.

mlefood – Minh Lê